


Splish Splash!

by Bionerd2Point0



Series: Ficlets and Shorts [11]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Mer!Jason, aquarist!Tim, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28040997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bionerd2Point0/pseuds/Bionerd2Point0
Summary: Tim visits the pod after Jason's release.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Series: Ficlets and Shorts [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053959
Comments: 17
Kudos: 161





	Splish Splash!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Silver_Snow_77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Snow_77/gifts).



> This was prompted by the lovely Snow!! I have no current plans on adding more to this universe, but if I do any other shorts in the future I will add them to this fic (so I recommend subscribing to this one if you're interested ;) ).
> 
> Hope you like this little bit of fluff!!

Tim splashed backwards into the freezing water, glad that his wetsuit was so well insulated. His cheeks would go numb soon enough, but the rest of him would remain happily non-hypothermic. 

A happy trill carried through the water moments before a weight impacted against his legs. 

Tim looked down, waving at Damian as the little mer coiled his tail around one of Tim’s legs. He was getting bigger, nearly half as long as Tim was tall now, and he was incredibly relieved that Damian was growing out of his biting phase. 

Jason had explained that it was Damian recognizing Tim as pod, but Tim had literal scars from those sharp teeth, and he would be glad when that phase finally passed.

Chattering and clicking carried through the water, and Tim looked up to see the rest of the pod catching up with the overeager pup. 

He hummed a greeting, reaching out to let them touch him as they swam by, circling and reassuring that he was still as healthy as he’d been the day before. 

Jason approached last, cupping Tim’s face to bump their foreheads together. 

‘ _Hello,_ ’ Tim signed, smiling. 

‘ _Hello._ ’ Jason swam a tight circle around him, expertly sliding Damian off Tim’s leg. ‘ _Anything interesting happen up above?_ ’

Tim shrugged. ‘ _Remember Duke? He finished an important project. Tomorrow we’re going to go celebrate._ ’ Duke’s dissertation had gone flawlessly (or, well, as flawless as any dissertation could go) and the MRI had already offered him a position among their fieldwork researchers. It wasn’t really a surprise, but an exciting development, nonetheless. 

_‘I’m happy for him!’_ Jason twisted, pulling Damian off of his lower fins and pushing the pup towards Cass.

‘ _He’s getting more comfortable in open water,_ ’ Tim observed. He could remember when Damian had to be in constant physical contact, passed from one podmate to the next. Now, he swam short distanced between them, leaving to investigate new things before returning to their sides.

‘ _He’s growing up,_ ’ Jason signed, an almost melancholy smile on his face. ‘ _The pod in the next territory, they have a pup too. They like to play with Damian when we are all near._ ’

‘ _How does that work? Do you plan when you meet?_ ’ Intra-pod dynamics were still a mystery to Tim for the most part. Sometimes the territory lines were important and it was dangerous to cross, but this sounded like the line was a bit more blurred. 

‘ _No. Sometimes the currents bring us together._ ’ Jason made a big sweeping motion, then sang a short song that was quickly picked up and echoed through the rest of the pod. 

Tim nodded, figuring that was the best response he was going to get. ‘ _I’m glad Damian has made a friend._ ’

Jason’s fins flared up and back down in happiness. ‘ _They are a good pup. Maybe a future mate, maybe just,_ ’ he whistle-clicked something, then shrugged and continued, ‘ _friend._ ’ He twisted back to face Tim. ‘ _Swim with me?_ ’

Tim held out his hand, letting Jason pull him close before propelling them through the ocean waters. 

It was nice, this. Being able to be close to Jason with the pod thriving around them. Not having to worry about lobbying policies or that people were still fighting against the new pollution regulations. 

Surrounded by the thriving pod, Tim let Jason tow him through the water, enjoying being surrounded by his makeshift family.


End file.
